Earring



A. 6, 1946. M. SHERMAN ETAL EARRING Filed Oct. 23, 1943 mm M EM O R L. WPS 05 3 MM E LMm 6 0 3 W16 6 4 4 M an 7 4 2 1 u 1w 3 I S M 2 WI P a w h. m g 0 M Mm Md ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 6, 1946- EARRING Monroe Sherman and Leonard Palliser, New York, N. Y.

Application October 23, 1943, Serial No. 507,442

Claims. 1

Our invention relates to devices, conventionally known as ear rings, for attachment to the lobes of unpierced ears.

The main object of our invention is the provision of a device of the character described which engages the ear lobe over a greater area than in former devices, which provides for an automatic adjustment for lobes of different thicknesses, which can be applied with adjustable amounts of cushioned spring tension, and which can be positively locked onto the ear lobe against accidental displacement.

Associated with this main object, we propose to provide a device for attachment to the lobe of an ear which comprises a pair of spaced, opposing members, having a spring leaf disposed therebetween biased towards one of the members, and means to shift the spring leaf towards said member and means to adjustably and releasably secure same in any desired position in relation to said member. Another object of our invention is the provision of a device for attachment to an ear lobe which comprises a generally U-shaped member having a pair of spaced and opposing legs, a spring member disposed within said member and biased towards one leg, one end of the spring being secured to the U-member, the other end of the spring cooperating with the other of the legs to releasably secure the spring in any desired position with respect to the first leg.

.A further object of our invention is the provision of a device for attachment to an ear lobe which comprises a generally U-shaped member having a pair of spaced and opposing legs, a spring leaf disposed between the legs, one end of which spring projects through an opening in one of the legs whereby the spring may be shifted towards the other leg and locked in any desired position with respect to such other leg.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a device for attachment to an ear lobe comprising a U-member having a pair of opposed and spaced legs, a spring member one end of which is pivoted on the U-member and projects between the legs, the other end of the spring projecting through an opening in one of the legs, an engagement between the projecting spring portion and the apertured leg whereby the spring may be shifted towards the other leg and held in any desired position in respect thereto.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a device for attachment to an earlobe comprising a U-member having a pair of opposed and spacedlegs, an ear plate :on one leg, a spring 2 on said member having a contact portion biased towards said ear plate, a plate on the other leg having a detent therein, an extension from said spring cooperating with the detent, whereby the spring may be step-by-step shifted towards and away from the earplate.

Other and further objects of my invention will be readily apparent, and still others will be pointed out specifically in connection with the following description of several illustrative embodiments.

In the drawing annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of device constructed according to and embodying 5 our invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section along the line 22 of Fig. 1 with an ornamental decoration added thereto;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view, partly in. section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, similar to Fig.

2, of a modified form of device also constructed according to and embodying our invention; and Fig. 5 is a side elevational view, similar to Figs. 2 and 4, of a further modification also constructed according to and embodying our invention.

Our device, in all of its modifications, is indicated generally by reference numeral Ill, and comprises a generally U-shaped member l2, having a pair of spaced apart and opposing leg members I4, 16. U-member l2 may be formed, as desired, of any suitable metallic or plastic material, by stamping, molding, casting or otherwise, but preferably of such material as to have some inherent rigidity and resistance to distortion, The upper end of one leg is has formed thereon an ear plate l8, bowed towards the other leg [6, so that the curved surface of plate [8 will be presented towards the ear lobe to more comfortably bear against the same. Plate It may be formed as an integral part of the U-memher, or as a separate element secured atop leg I 4, and as seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, a jewel or other ornament 20 may be secured on its outer side.

The other leg I6 is also provided with a plate 22 at its upper end, either formed as an integral part thereof or as a separate element secured thereto. Plate 22 is substantially parallel to plate l8 atop leg l4, and is apertured, as at 24, the upper edge 25 of aperture 24 acting as a detent, for purposes to be explained below, in respect of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The use of a U-shaped member is quite conventional in ear ring construction, but we depart 3 from conventional practice in providing a spring member and novel means to shift and adjust same from one leg with respect to the other leg of the U -member. The spring of our invention is of entirely novel construction, and our adjust ing and securing means are similarly different from anything heretofore known.

Our spring member 30 may be stamped or.

otherwise formed of suitable metallic or plastic material having some strength and resiliency. The lower end of the spring may be bifurcated, as at 32, and straddled over the lower part of leg l6, as at IT, and pivotally secured thereto by means of a pin 34 passing through registering apertures in leg l6 and the bifurcations. Other means may be employed to secure spring 38 to U-member i2 Without departing from our teachings, the important thing being securement rather than any particular way in which the securing is accomplished.

Spring 3|) comprises a contact portion 3| which curves upwardly from its lower end 32 to a point 35 just above the level of the leg tops, at which point it is bent over and returns, on a reverse path 33, to a corner point 84 substantially level with aperture 24 in plate 22, and then extends outwardly on a straight line through and past aperture 24 terminating, in the modification of Figs. 1 and 2, in a finger piece 38. The upper surface of shiftable extension 36 is provided with a plurality of teeth 4|, 4|.

Spring 36 is, as above pointed out, composed of a resilient material which resists deformation,

60, passing through aperture 24, which is toothed as at 62, 62 on its lower surface, so that the lower portion of the bend will engage the lower marginal edge of aperture. In this modification, the upper extension 36 has no teeth, as in the previously described modifications.

When it is desired to adjust the modifications as in Figs. 4 and 5, the extensions are constricted to. disengage the teeth from the lips of the opening, permitting shifting back and forth of the extensions and hence the body of spring 30 towards and away from the ear lobe, exactly as and when the arched and rounded contact portion 3| is pressed against the lobe of an ear, by lateral shifting movement of extension 36 under pressure of finger piece 38, there will be'a yielding at bend and at corner 84 to bring portions 3| and 33 closer together, resulting in a cushioned, yielding pressure of contact 3i against the lobe. Also, when spring 30 is bent into the described shape, it is tensioned so that extension 36 is normally urged outwardly and away from contact 3|. Thus, when lower end 32 of spring 3|] is pinned to arm l6, extension 36 is normally and continuously urged and shifted against and into engagement with the upper edge 25 of aperture 24, which forms a detent holding extension 36 by teeth 4|, 4|. The teeth may be angled forwardly towards the body of the spring, and when extension 36 is shifted inwardly by movement against finger piece 38, teeth 4|, 4| will ride past detent 25 and contact portion 3| will be resiliently pressed against the lobe of the ear with as much tension as desired or comfortable. When it is desired to remove the device, finger piece 38 is depressed sufficiently to permit teeth 4| to clear the detent, and extension 36 retracted and shifted outwardly past detent 25 under maintained downward pressure on extension 36 by finger piece 38.

In all the modifications of my device, the bear- Y ing portion 3| of spring 36 is rounded, so as to present a curved surface against the ear lobe rather than a straight surface.

In the modification of Fig. 4, extension 36 is provided with a return bend portion 6|], which is provided with teeth 62, 62 on its lower surface, as well as with teeth 4|, 4| on the upper surface, so that teeth 4| and 62 will engage the upper and marginal edges of the aperture 24 in the plate. Of course, in this modification, opening 24 will be larger than in the form of Figs. 1, 2 and 8.

In the modification of Fig. 5, extension 36 is similarly provided with a return bend portion in the previously described modification.

In all the modifications of our device, a relatively elongated bearing surface of a curved spring is brought against the lobe of the ear, to secure same therebetween and between an ear plate, The length of the spring bearing surface makes the fit much more comfortable than with previously known devices. The resilient pressure is positively applied and maintained, and the application and removal of our device is simple and easy. Our device may be made of only two parts, easy of fabrication, assembly and operation.

Various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention, as for example, ear plate l8 may be lengthened, widened or otherwise shaped to more comfortably or securely engage the ear, or spring bearing surface 3| may be widened or shaped otherwise than as shown.

Having now described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for attachment to an ear lobe comprising a pair of spaced opposing members, a spring between said members, an ear plate on one of said members, shifting means to step-by-step move the Spring towards the ear plate and away fromthe other member, said means comprising an extension from the spring, and means to lock said shifting means in any desired position with respect to the ear plate, said last named means comprising engaging portions between the spring extension and the said other member, whereby an ear lobe may be grasped between said ear plate and spring.

2. A device as in claim 1, in which said extension has a surface provided with means to removably engage the other of said members.

3. A device as in claim 1, in which the other of said members is provided withan apertured plate through which the shifting means pass, and the locking means comprise engaging portions between the extension and the apertured plate.

4. A device as in claim 1, in which the other of said members is provided with an apertured plate through whichthe shifting means pass, and a surface of the extension is toothed to engage the margin of the aperture in the plate to releasably lock the extension in any desired position.

5. A device as in claim 1, in which the other of said members is provided with an apertured plate through which the shifting means pass, and the extension is provided with a return portion passing through the aperture on a reverse path, and in which the extension and the return portion are toothed to engage marginal edges of the aperture in the plate to releasably lockthe extension and return portion in any desired position.

6. A device as in claim 1, in which the other of said members isprovided with an apertured plate through which the shifting means pass, and the extension is provided with a return portion passing through the aperture on a reverse path,

and in which only the return portion of the extension is toothed to engage a marginal edge of the aperture in the plate to releasably lock the extension and return portion in any desired position.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a U-shaped member having a pair of spaced and opposing legs, a spring between said legs, an ear plate on one of said legs, one end of the spring being secured to the U-member, the other end being free, means to move the spring towards and away from the ear plate, and means to lock the moving means in any desired position with respect to the ear plate, whereby an ear lobe may be grasped between said ear plate and spring, said locking means comprising engaging portions between the free end of the spring and the other leg of the U-member.

8. A device as in claim 1, in which the spring curves upwardly from its securement to the U- member and is bent over on a return path, and

of the aperture in the apertured plate, and means to disengage and shift the spring progressively back and forth with respect to the ear plate.

10. A device as in claim 9, in which the said other end of the spring is toothed and provided with a smooth finger piece at its terminus, the spring being resilient and easily disengageable from the apertured plate.

MONROE SHERMAN. LEONARD PALLISER. 

